Film buffs flock to Big Eddy Film Festival

By Jonathan Fox

September 12, 2012 —

This week marks the debut of an exciting new venture for Narrowsburg, which has become a destination for enthusiasts of many art forms. Visitors come from far and wide to experience fine dining, great shopping, RiverFest, art galleries and the beautiful views of our magnificent eagles soaring above the majestic Delaware River. Like the river itself, the town is always changing, ever growing and redefining it’s place in the Upper Delaware valley, and with that in mind, the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance (DVAA, www.alliancesite.org) has risen to the occasion and created the Big Eddy Film Festival (www.bigeddyfilm.com).

DVAA communications director Tina Spangler is “thrilled to be spearheading the project,” but is quick to point out that the festival is a “collaboration with many, without whom it would not have been possible.” Spangler, a film maker herself, has been working closely with Troy Bystrom, who “brought the idea to the DVAA when he started out as a board member... and we became so excited at the prospect of what the festival could become, that I took the reins and became involved in every aspect of this project.

“Troy’s expertise is internet and digital,” Spangler continued, “and he created the website, which is fantastic. We wanted to give the film festival its own identity, and are hoping that this inaugural year will be the first of many more to come.” While based in Narrowsburg, with all films being screened at the Tusten Theatre, the festival is “by no means just for residents. In fact, we have a wide variety of films on the bill, including shorts, documentaries and six full length features being screened over three days.”

While some of the film makers are local, the roster of talent represents reaches far beyond the confines of our region and the subject matter ranges widely. “We are so fortunate to have such a diverse pool of talent right here at home,” Spangler said, “screenwriters, producers, directors and actors, and there are films made by residents of some local towns, including Lackawaxen and Ellenville. There’s even a documentary that centers on fly fishing (“Low and Clear”), but it’s really about the cycle of life and is a beautiful meditation on friendship.”